CVE-2023-5978

Unauthorized domain resolution via widened cap_net constraints

Published Nov 8, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Improper privilege management in FreeBSD 13.2-RELEASE through 13.2-RELEASE-p4 allows attackers to resolve restricted domain names. The cap_net libcasper service treats a replacement list as a valid subset when only domain-name constraints are active, thereby accepting newly added names. Exploitation requires a capability-sandboxed application that uses cap_net with only a domain allowlist; no FreeBSD base-system software uses this configuration.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.51%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper privilege management in FreeBSD 13.2-RELEASE through 13.2-RELEASE-p4 allows attackers to resolve restricted domain names. The cap_net libcasper service treats a replacement list as a valid subset when only domain-name constraints are active, thereby accepting newly added names. Exploitation requires a capability-sandboxed application that uses cap_net with only a domain allowlist; no FreeBSD base-system software uses this configuration.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5978
Published
Nov 8, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
The FreeBSD Project
Product
FreeBSD
Classifications
CWE-269
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 8, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=13.2-RELEASE <p5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The FreeBSD Project · FreeBSDversion=13.2-RELEASE <p5

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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